Ashes of Snow
by winterfledgling
Summary: A tall, lean figure filled up the entrance before her. He was wearing dark pants with a green shirt and gold armor plated his chest and shoulders. A dark green cape hung from his shoulders and his midnight black hair was slicked back from his forehead. Bright green eyes veiled by thick eyelashes traveled down the length of her body, and Kristen realized she was staring.
1. Chapter 1

Dark clouds bloomed in the grey sky, shrouding the campus from the rays of the pale winter sun. A deep boom of thunder shattered the small sounds of conversations in the courtyard, and the students, all dressed in coats and scarves, hurried inside the colossal brick building that was slowly darkening with dapples of rain drops. Kristen clutched her books to her chest and lowered her head against the rain, jogging across the courtyard. The wind picked up and the towering oak trees lined up sentinel on either side of the brick paved road began to rustle and sway. Running into the safety of the building, Kristen ran a hand through her hair, feeling droplets of rain cling to her fingers. The toasty air seeped through her skin as she checked her watch. She sighed, and readjusting her books once again, she took off down the corridor. Time just didn't seem very fond of her, and after running late for practically everything, giving up and just accepting it seemed like the way to go.

Stopping in front of a big wooden door, Kristen shifted her books to her other hand and pushed open the door. Mr. Cole abruptly stopped talking as every single pair of eyes slid towards her disheveled form standing in the doorway.

"Ms. Faye. Late once again?" Mr. Cole looked at her over his black-rimmed glasses.

"Sorry, Mr. Cole. I swear it won't happen again."

He rolled his eyes, clearly disbelieving, and pointed towards an empty desk at the back of the room.

Giving him a weak smile, she scooted towards the desk, relieved that everyone's eyes had returned to Mr. Cole.

As quietly as possible, Kristen rested the pile of books on her wooden desk and sat down. Her eyes glazed over, and resting her head on her hands, she started fumbling with her pencil. Mr. Cole continued to blather on about equations as Kristen's eyes slowly wandered towards the rain drop covered windows. The muted azure sky had returned, the same white clouds lazily crossing the empyrean, and the sun peaking out through a gap between them. The realization that the rain and thunder had stopped reached Kristen's mind faintly. Through her pleasant daze, she felt an odd sensation of being watched, breaching her trance-like state. She cleared her mind, and the feel of eyes intensified as she focused on her surroundings once more. Mr. Cole was still talking, and students were splayed across their desks, probably dreaming of the end of class.

Almost like it had been planned, the bell rang, and students started filtering out of the room. Kristen mentally shook her head, she must've been imagining things. Scooping up her books, she slipped them into her tattered messenger bag and made her way through the maze of desks. Students crowded the hallways, and the girls' chattering echoed as the boys shoved each other against lockers and jostled one another. Pushing through the crowd, Kristen narrowly avoided getting seriously injured and she finally made it through the glass double doors and into the crisp winter day. She wrapped her maroon scarf tightly around her neck, and stuffing her hands into her warm pockets, she strolled through the campus and out towards her apartment.

Searching for her key, Kristen stood outside of her apartment, fighting off the chill that had penetrated her warm coat. Her numb hands found her keys in the very bottom of her bag, and she thrust the door open. Jogging inside, she turned on the heater. She hated winters and their freezing days, and couldn't wait for spring to finally arrive. Finally, the room started to heat up, and Kristen headed towards the stove, her mind filled with images of hot chocolate.

Kristen curled up with her book, hot chocolate in hand, and lost herself for what felt like hours in the pages of the book. Looking up at the clock mounted on the wall and seeing that it read 8:30, Kristen decided to start up her homework. Opening her textbooks, she started to read when suddenly a thought struck her. "Dammit," she muttered while jumping off her bed. She had to go get the homework for Mr. Cole's class. She really had to thank her gift for dazing off for having to go back into the cold. Shrugging into her jacket again, she grabbed her phone and dropped it into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. Bracing herself for the cold winter air, she shoved open the door and into the chilly night.

Heading left, she walked to Arabella's house, just ten minutes away. Arabella and Kristen had never been particularly close, but after moving in near by, they would ask each other for homework when one needed it. Kristen knew that they could never really be friends, since Bella was absolutely stunning, and everyone knew that that kind of royalty just didn't spend time with the peasants of the school. Every student on campus knew about Bella's perfect blonde hair and her piercing blue eyes, and every guy, single or not, could never take their eyes off her.

Turning into the driveway to the humongous house, Kristen crossed her arms in front of her chest and strolled up to the door. Pressing the doorbell down, she waited outside in the frigid air. Pressing again, she mentally cursed herself for forgetting her homework. Trying one last time and having no luck, Kristen turned back to the driveway and took a few steps. Hearing the door creak open behind her, she stopped.

"Excuse me," a deep voice emanated from the doorway.

Circling around, Kristen's eyes stopped on the tall, lean figure filling up the entrance before her. He was wearing dark pants with a green shirt and gold armor plated his chest and shoulders. A dark green cape hung from his shoulders and his midnight black hair was slicked back from his forehead. Bright green eyes veiled by thick eyelashes traveled down the length of her body, and Kristen realized she was staring.

"Oh, yeah, hi. Sorry about bothering you. Um, do you know where Bella is?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "I'm sorry, I don't know where she is." Kristen realized that his voice was graced with a slight english accent. "You're welcome to come inside and wait for her, if you would like."

Kristen looked down at her shoes. "Nah, it's fine. It can wait until tomorrow," she raised her hand awkwardly in a half-wave. "Thanks, anyway. Goodnight."

"Please," The man in the doorway stepped into the cold and held the door open for her. "come inside, I'm sure Bella will be returning soon. I insist."

Kristen hesitated. She had never seen this guy before, and he probably was one of Bella's weird friends, but he didn't seem like the usual people she hung around with. Her doubts filled her mind, but just a few minutes wouldn't hurt, would it? And it would be much better than walking back to her apartment in the cold again.

The man chuckled, and said, "Do I frighten you?"

Kristen looked up into his deep eyes. "Well, it's a bit weird that you're wearing all of that stuff." She gestured at his attire. "But no, I wouldn't say I'm frightened."

"Then there's nothing stopping you." He smiled, flashing two rows of perfect teeth.

She smiled back, and walked into Bella's absolutely stunning house. Marble floors shone under the soft yellow lights embedded into the ceiling. The seemingly endless hallway branched out into the ravishing living room, a cream colored couch spreading out along the two far walls. A crystal chandelier sparkled as it caught the light and filtered out slightly rainbow illuminations. Kristen could feel the guy's presence behind her and she slipped out of her coat, sitting down on a portion of the immense sofa.

Arabella had always been loaded. Ever since the first time Kristen came over to her house, it just seemed to get more breathtaking with every visit. Rumors circulated around the school about Bella's money, but Kristen was smart enough to never trust the rumor mill, especially at her school.

The guy dressed in green, black, and gold sat down across from her, crossing his long legs and looking at her curiously. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his thighs. "What is your name?"

"I'm Kristen."

"What, Kristen, are you doing here so late at night?"

Hugging her knees to her chest, she said, "I just had to ask Bella for homework."

"You came all this way just for some homework?" He shook his head and laughed lightly.

"What?" Kristen said defensively. "I have to pass my classes."

He paused and continued to gaze at her with those unnerving emerald eyes. She could feel them looking into her, as if all her secrets were being unravelled just at a glance. Kristen cleared her throat. "Who are you, exactly?"

"I'm Loki, of Asgard."

Kristen's brain rewinded the last few seconds. "Um, you mean like the Norse god?" That's what she got for trusting strangers.

"Precisely." He folded his long fingers in his lap.

"Well then. Why are you here?" Kristen decided to play along, as crazy as it might seem. There was no need to provoke him, and she had no idea what kind of insanity might come of it.

Still watching her, he shifted in his seat, and his posture changed in an intimidating, almost king-like manner. "I'm thought to be dead to all of my people. As my brother stole from me the throne of Asgard, I needed my vengeance and I have found that here, in Midgard."

Kristen shifted her eyes to the door down the hallway behind her discreetly, hoping that it wouldn't have to come down to running.

"You don't believe me?" The guy, or Loki, as he put it, sounded amused. He stood up, towering over her as he rose to his full height. He strode over and extended his hand. "Let me prove it to you."

Still playing along, Kristen stared at his hand and stood up. "Erhm, okay." His hand felt cool against hers and he wrapped his long fingers around her hand. Their eyes locked together, and suddenly, their surroundings seemed to alter. The couch that was there just a moment ago was replaced by nothingness. The marble floors beneath her feet were now a sparkling translucent road. The sky was dark, but millions and millions of stars speckled the blackness in collections of galaxies and nebulas. Kristen turned around, still gripping Loki's hand. Golden buildings rose up out of the ground, and they gleamed under the starlight.

Kristen closed her eyes. What the hell was wrong with her today? She must be coming down with something. Opening her eyes, she saw that she was still standing in dark oblivion. Taking her left hand, she pinched her arm and waited for the good old trick to kick in and take her back to reality.

Nothing changed.

She looked up at the man standing next to her. "Do you believe me now?" He asked softly.

Kristen was at a loss for words. Broken sentences floated through her mystified mind as it attempted to process its surroundings. Finally, her mind and her mouth connected, and she was able to let out an indistinct, "W-what?"

Loki laughed softly. "This is Asgard. Where I was raised. The throne is rightfully mine, but my selfish brother has stolen it from me, just as he does with everything else that belongs to me." His stance stiffened and his eyes hardened.

A laugh burst out of Kristen's mouth. Convinced that this was just all an eerie hallucination, she said, "Yeah, sure. And I can float on pink clouds while riding on rainbow unicorns."

Loki turned away. "You foolish mortals, disbelieving of everything that can't be proven by science. You believe this to be a joke?" His eyes were like steel, and no sentiment escaped from his carefully emotionless face.

"Hey," Kristen murmured, taking the precaution of calming him before his obvious anger instigated further actions.

He reached down and stroked Kristen's cheek. "If only everyone could just understand," he whispered. Unhurriedly, he dipped his head closer to hers until they were mere centimeters apart.

"What are you doing?" Kristen breathed.

He closed the last bit of space between them and their lips met. And just like that, the spell shattered into pieces. Kristen jumped backwards.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kristen said, this time without the breathlessness.

Loki inched backwards, clearly confused. He opened his mouth to speak but Kristen cut him off. "You can't just kiss someone like that! Especially someone like me. I'm sorry, but I'm not one of those girls that just start swooning when you start speaking." Neglecting her former musings about her current vicinity, she concentrated on the dashing, confusing god standing before her.

"My apologies, Kristen." He really did seem sincere, but she knew just how gifted actors could be.

"Can you please take me back?" This place was making her head go dizzy, and every time she glanced down, an overwhelming sense of vertigo overcame her.

Loki nodded. "As you wish." He tightened his grip on her hand, which hadn't budged since they had arrived in this place. The darkness blurred back into the white walls of Bella's house and the couch returned to it's place along the walls. The chandelier still twinkled with the lights, and the air was still warm and cozy. Kristen registered that she was still clenching Loki's hand, and she quickly let go.

"I think I'll be going now." She picked up her bag lying forgotten next to her jacket. Slipping into her coat, she briskly walked towards the door. Loki trailed behind her, no hint of emotions exposed on his face. Opening the door, the wintry air pierced the heated house, and a gust of wind blew inside. Stepping through the doorway, Kristen looked back at Loki. He smiled, though anyone could tell that it wasn't genuine. "Goodnight, Kristen."

She kept her gaze fixed on the road the entire way back to her apartment, but her mind was drifting off towards other reveries. An image of Loki was roaming through her brain, and she still couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.


	2. Chapter 2

He watched her walk down the street as the bare trees stood still with their branches extending towards the road like spindly fingers. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, and a shadowless dark stretched across the night. Merged into the dusk, Loki silently observed Kristen as strands of her hair, black like a starless night, fluttered in the slight wind. She turned around once or twice, her golden eyes flashing as she studied her inky surroundings. As she came up in front of her apartment, Loki soundlessly stood guard until he was certain she was safe inside. Then, without even raising a finger, Loki vanished into the night.

He couldn't believe he had been distracted by a mere mortal. His concentration was ordinarily unbreakable, but something about Kristen had perturbed him, and images of her snowy white skin and glimpses of her dusky hair had been haunting him ever since he had watched her leave. Shaking his head, he strode down the road, still contemplating his situation. He was here to get his vengeance, he kept telling himself, not for some girl that had caught his attention. He must return to Arabella, so he could commence his plan of revenge. Why Freyja, the goddess of love and beauty, had changed her name to Arabella, he would never understand. But while her name may be different, he was assured that she was still as beautiful as she was when she lived in Asgard.

His brother, Thor, was to be married to the enchanting Freyja, but on one frightful and unwelcome night, she had defied Odin's orders and was cast away to earth, leaving a distraught and despairing Thor behind. Oh, how Loki was delighted that he had found a way to wound Thor the way he had wounded him. Everyone in Asgard was aware of the fact that Thor had never completely fallen out of love with Frejya, and Loki planned to use that to his full advantage.

After falling through the collapsing bifrost, Loki had descended through space for what seemed like eternity, until finally, he had found a pathway to Midgard. Enduring the grueling journey to Earth had been one of the most burdensome things he had ever had to undergo, and he was determined to make absolutely certain that Thor will have to live through the same fate.

Loki continued walking through the dark for what seemed like hours until finally, a deep cobalt hue streaked across the horizon, and the sky began to pale. A pasty gold sun rose above the skyline, and clouds were illuminated with light pink. Dawn was among them, and he had somewhere to be.

The campus was made up of several large brick buildings, some being overtaken by ivy, and others starting to crumble slightly. Students milled about, all separated into their own little groups as they nursed cups of steaming drinks. Loki scanned the crowds, and his gaze landed on Kristen, sitting cross-legged on the grass under a tree. She carried a cup in one hand, and a book was lying open on her lap. She had black-rimmed glasses on, but nothing could attenuate the flare of her golden eyes. A blonde girl bounced over to Kristen's side, dressed stylishly in a leather jacket, which was absolutely outrageous in this weather.

Loki's eyes widened as he registered who that blonde girl was. A slow smile spread across his face, and he strode from his vantage point out into the open grounds. He had changed into typical Midgard clothing, a fitted green shirt, black jeans, black coat, leather boots, and a scarf. Just because he was in a different realm didn't mean he had to abandon his favorite color scheme.

Eyes turned his way at he made his way through the small crowds of people gathered in the courtyard. Girls flipped their hair as guys exaggeratedly wrapped their arms around their shoulders. Loki kept his eyes fixed ahead, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the blonde girl depart Kristen's side, heading for the main building. Rotating his head vaguely, he looked in Kristen's direction, and he found her staring right at him. Her hair was in a bun on top of her head and tendrils of midnight hair tumbled down and framed her face. Her lips were scarlet, and it was all Loki could do to not go running to her at that very moment. He continued forward, and left behind the murmurs of the students.

His long, purposeful strides allowed him to catch up with the blonde girl, and he circled his fingers around her wrist, gently pulling her towards the back of the building. She let out a yelp of surprise, and as recognition dawned on her, she followed him into the small space between two of the great brick buildings.

"Hello there, Arabella." Loki leaned his arm against the wall behind Bella, effectively trapping her.

"Loki. Surprise seeing you here. Shouldn't you be back on Asgard with Thor?" Bella crossed her arms over her chest.

Loki's posture stiffened, but he relaxed after a moment, taking on a lazy smile instead. "I'm just... visiting. And may I just say, you look absolutely ravishing."

Bella gave Loki the once over. "I like the new look. Your cape and that armor was just a bit over the top." The corner of her mouth turned up, and her eyes gleamed.

"Freyja, you haven't changed one bit."

"Tell me, how's your brother?" Bella bit the corner of her lip, her eyes still sporting that mischievous quality.

"Oh, he is doing wonderfully, last I heard." He raised his eyebrows in silent questioning. "Not still pining for him, are we?"

Bella smirked. "Please. The Midgardians have changed me, and look where I am now." She gestured towards the students still hanging around the courtyard. "They worship me. Not as a god, but it still is pretty close."

"Please don't tell me you're actually enjoying yourself here." Loki crossed his arms and amusement glinted in his eyes.

Freyja rolled her eyes. "Please don't tell me you aren't either." She pointed behind Loki's shoulder. "Even you aren't a good enough liar to cover up the fact that you're totally into Kristen."

Loki spun around, and sure enough, he could see Kristen still reading her book beneath the oak tree's entwining branches.

"What makes you think I would ever be foolish enough to fall in love with a mortal?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm the goddess of love, Loki. Give me some credit."

Loki leaned against the building, arms still crossed. "Freyja, I suspect your 'powers'," he lifted two fingers up and made air quotation marks. "have gotten a bit rusty. Or you've just forgotten who I am."

"Oh, I see then. I guess you wouldn't care if she asked me about you then." Freyja feigned casually strolling away.

"Wait."

Freyja gave him a wide-eyed innocent look. "What?"

Loki hesitated. "What did she ask about me?"

Raising her eyebrows knowingly, Freyja said, "But I thought you didn't care about her."

"I said that you were foolish for thinking that I was in love with her, that has nothing to do with caring for her."

Freyja stepped closer to Loki, close enough that their breaths mingled together. "She said-"

She was cut off by a throat being cleared.

Kristen stood just outside of the small space between the buildings, awkwardly looking at the ground. "Um. Sorry, but I just wanted to tell you that class started. And Mr. Cole sent me out here to get you."

Freyja stepped back from Loki and pasted a huge, airhead grin on her face. "Gotcha, thanks Kristen." She strutted into the courtyard, which was now completely deserted. Kristen followed behind her, casting a glance at Loki. He met her gaze with his emerald stare, and Kristen quickly averted her eyes, and made her way into the building.

"Bella?" Kristen was resting against her favorite tree and Bella stood fixing her hair beside her.

"Hm?" Bella fluffed up her bangs and puckered her lips.

Kristen stared down at her shoes. "Why won't you tell me who that guy you were talking to this morning is?"

"Which guy?" Bella fixed her turquoise eyes on Kristen.

Kristen gave her an 'isn't is obvious?' look.

"Please, Kristen, I talk to a lot of guys over the course of a day."

Sighing, Kristen said, "The guy who dresses in green and black all the time."

Bella's stare hardened, "You're better off not getting involved with him. He's got some major issues." Her voice drifted off and she said softly again, "Major issues."

"But who is he?"

"Why do you wanna know so badly, Kristen?" Bella snapped back to reality.

"Cause he was at your house when I came over yesterday."

Bella narrowed her eyes. "He was in my house?"

"Yup, he invited me in and everything."

"Did he... say anything?" Something about the way Bella asked that question made Kristen unmistakably certain that she already knew the answer.

Kristen shrugged. "Other than claiming he was the Norse god of mischief and that he lived on Asgard, nothing much."

Bella's blue eyes widened. "He said what?"

"You really should find out more about a person before letting them into your house."

Bella stayed silent, obviously in deep thought.

"You did let him in, didn't you?"

"Yeah, yeah." Bella said distractedly. "Look, I've gotta go. I'll see you later." Without waiting for an answer, she walked out of sight. Kristen looked after her, confused. What was going on? And who was that guy?

Kristen drifted through the rest of her classes, mind preoccupied by thoughts and predictions on Bella's bizarre behavior. Images of Loki sprang up here and there, but Kristen didn't allow them to linger.

When the last bell rang, Kristen grabbed her book bag and her jacket and escaped off the campus. She had never had such a wearying day in all her years at school. Her phone buzzed, and she fished it out of her bag, pressing the answer button.

"Hello?" Kristen pressed her phone to her ear.

"Hey, it's Bella. Sorry for running off before, I just had to get some homework done before class." Kristen could hear her lying, even through the phone.

She decided to leave it alone, for now. "Oh, no worries."

"Cool. So I was wondering if you wanted to come to my place tonight. I'm having another one of my parties," Bella was already brimming with delight.

Everyone knew about Bella's elaborate parties. It was said to be the best parties of their entire lives, but only if you were elite enough to get invited to one. Kristen had been to one last year, but that night was distorted, and she had decided that she didn't want to know what had happened.

"Umm," Kristen thought for a minute as she turned left into her street. Did she really want to just go over to Bella's house after what happened yesterday? She figured she had deserved a break, after all of the classes and courses she'd been taking lately. "Sure. When should I be there?"

"Just be here as soon as you can. Trust me, you wanna get here quick. The car spaces fill up super fast."

Kristen didn't bother reminding her that she would just walk over. "Gotcha. See you later."

"See you." Bella kissed into the phone and hung up.

Kristen made her way up to the door of her apartment, and cramming the key into the lock, she forced the door open. Taylor Swift blasted out of the iPod lying on the counter, and she walked over to lower the volume. "Evelyn? You home?"

"Yup!" A voice came from one of the bedrooms. The pastel blue door was pushed open, and Evelyn stepped out in her sweatpants and a mustache t-shirt. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." She padded over to the refrigerator in her fuzzy socks, grabbing a bottle of water. Cracking it open, she plopped down on the couch.

"I've got some big news," Kristen announced. She raised her arms up, dramatizing her statement. "I have been invited to one of Bella's prestigious parties, and I would like you to accompany me." She bowed formally, and Evelyn broke out into giggles.

"Oh, I'd love to." She stood up and curtsied. "Now, onto the most important matter of this evening. What should we wear?"

Raising her eyebrows, Kristen grinned. "To the closet!"

They pranced over to the walk-in closet placed in Evelyn's room. Flinging the doors open, they pushed aside dresses, skirts, and shirts, all receiving criticism in one form or the other. "Hey, what about this?" Evelyn paused on a black number, evaluating it.

"You'd look amazing in it." It was short, but not too short, and it was trimmed with gold at the edges.

Evelyn flung the dress onto the bed in the corner of the room. "Now, it's your turn."

They continued flipping through dress after dress, until finally, Evelyn said, "This one. Yes, it's perfect." She plucked it out the closet, and held it up against Kristen. "Yup."

"Really?" The dress was short, red, and strapless. Her closet normally didn't involve any of those.

"Just go put it on, Kristen. And then you'll see that I'm right, as always." She winked, and grabbing her own dress, she headed into her bathroom.

Kristen took the dress into her room, and stripped off her clothes. She slipped into the dress, and zipped up the back. Returning to Evelyn's room, she found her already trying on shoes.

She grinned and walked over barefoot. "What'd I tell you?"

Kristen smiled and stood in front of the full-length mirror. The crimson dress was stark against her pale skin. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders in slight curls.

Evelyn squealed. "Yes, yes, yes! This is so your dress." She bounced over to the shoes and returned with velvety black heels. "And these. You're gonna be breaking hearts tonight."

Slipping them on, Kristen dabbed a little bit of gloss on her lips. She absolutely despised makeup, and not even Evelyn could get her to wear it.

She grabbed her jacket and shrugged it on over her dress. Evelyn popped her head into the bedroom. "You ready?"

"Yup." Evelyn had completed her look with gold heels that laced up her ankles. She looked like a Greek goddess. "You look amazing, by the way."

She snorted. "You should see yourself right now. There'll be no one there that isn't staring at you, trust me."

Kristen laughed, and their heels clicked against the pavement as they made their way to Bella's.

A pulsing beat echoed through the crowded streets, packed with drunk party animals. The huge double doors were wide open, letting everyone invited inside. Kristen could make out Bella standing at the door with a guy who had his arm slung over her shoulders. Shouts and yells were absorbed by the blaring music and hundreds of people were packed into Bella's typically peaceful house. Evelyn grabbed Kristen's hand and dragged her towards the entrance.

"Oh my god. Hi, Kristen!" Bella sounded unnaturally perky, which was probably due to the amount of alcohol she'd already consumed.

"Hey. I hope you don't mind that I brought Evelyn with me."

"Not at all! The more the merrier, am I right?" She laughed hysterically and the guy beside her joined in.

Kristen glanced uncomfortably at Evelyn. She raised her eyebrows as a response. "Um, we'll be inside. See you later, Bella." They walked away, and as soon as they were sure that Bella was preoccupied, they broke down into giggles.

"Someone's gonna be wasted." Evelyn said after their laughter subsided. "Speaking of, I'll go get us some drinks."

"Gotcha, I'll be right here," Kristen smiled and waved as Evelyn disappeared into the mass of drunk students.

She knew that this was most likely a bad idea, since everyone knew that there wasn't one party that Bella threw that didn't get called off by the police. But she deserved to have some fun, she thought. And what was one night going to change? She really needed the break.

Someone jostled her from behind, pulling her out from her thoughts. "My apologies," a deep voice came from above her. Spinning around, she saw penetrating green eyes widen. _This was definitely going to be an interesting night, _she thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm so sorry." Kristen backed up a few steps, intent on putting at least a meter of distance between them.

Loki noticed her hesitation and frowned. "Please, you have nothing to apologize for. I must learn to be more attentive, especially with all these distractions." His gaze locked with hers, communicating silently. In no way could Kristen understand how Loki could be distracted at all. He seemed like a person who knew exactly what he wanted and when he wanted it.

She avoided his mesmerizing eyes, and chose a spot right between his eyebrows, glueing her stare to the area. She hoped she didn't look cross eyed, since everyone knew that that look definitely didn't grace one's appearance. But the less she looked into his eyes, the better off she was, she knew that at the very least. From past experience, eyes were truly the windows to the soul, and sometimes, people's souls were better off left alone. "I have to get going. My friend's waiting for me."

He didn't let her get away that easily. "I hope you will save me a dance, Kristen." His voice sent tingles up her spine, and butterflies awakened in her stomach. Attempting to ignore her own reactions to his voice, she smiled politely.

"Sure." Kristen was not one to say no. Whenever anything was asked of her, natural instinct told her to say yes, and to this day, she most likely hasn't declined anyone's requests for favors.

"I shall hold you to that promise," he took her hand gently and brushed his lips against her pale, white skin. His lips felt as light as feathers, but the effect they had on her was prodigious. She felt as though her insides were turning to molten lava, and the slight wing beats of butterflies from earlier were now put to shame by the millions and millions that seemed to be flitting through her stomach.

Loki seemed to be aware of the sudden rampage of sensations crashing through her, for the corners of his mouth lifted, and a gleam caught the emerald of his eyes. "Until later," he smiled.

"Yeah, until later," Kristen replied weakly. Her life may consist of a lot of things, but guys were not one of them. Especially not attractive guys. She had boyfriends in the past, but none of them were ever as charming as Loki just was to her. She shook her head. What was she thinking? He was practically a complete stranger, and she wasn't sure he was entirely sane. A thought occurred to her, and she almost laughed at the sadness of it. She really had a seriously depressing social life. A partially deranged man was more dashing to her than anyone else had ever been towards her. That was probably the saddest thing that had ever happened to her. She pushed past the sea of people and made her way up Bella's typically pristine marble staircase, which was now littered with cups and semi-unconscious students.

Dozens of spotless white doors stood on either side of the hallways, and finding Bella's room, Kristen let herself inside. The room was dark, but as soon as she stepped through the doorway, lights embedded in the ceiling flicked on, illuminating the immaculate room. Kristen was almost blinded by the dazzling sight.

Everything was white. The sheets on the bed, the carpet, the walls, and the curtains. Not even a touch of originality leaked through the stark interior. Floor to ceiling windows took up the far wall, and they opened up to an absolutely stunning balcony. Kristen stepped out of the faultless room, and out into the night. Perfectly placed trees were sitting in white pots as they framed the outside of the terrace. Along the edge, white stone pillars rose out of the floor until about her night was shady and dark. But tiny pinpricks of light sparkled in the distance, as buildings and houses sprinkled the horizon. The air was cold, but not frigid as it had been for the past few weeks. Kristen's breath puffed out in white misty clouds and they merged into the air as quickly as they had appeared. She lowered herself onto a large white chair that was extremely fluffy and cozy. Wriggling her painful shoes off and kicking them away, she curled her feet under herself and plucked her book from her purse. Spreading it over her knees, she began to read.

A soft click awoke her. She lifted her head from her arms, still cradling the book. "Hello?" Her voice came out gently. She could still hear the faint beat of the music from downstairs. She twisted her head around, and there, leaning on the glass windows, was Loki. "Hi." Kristen rubbed her eyes and smiled.

He smiled back. "Hello. I see you're very tired." He had his hands in his pockets, and he moved over to sit in the chair across from her's.

"How'd you know?" Laughing lightly, Kristen drew her legs closer to her body and crossed her arms.

"Oh, just a guess." He leaned forward slightly. "I just had to come looking for the girl who had promised me a dance. She seems to have disappeared."

"I hope she keeps her promise," Kristen said.

Loki stood up, and extended his hand towards her. "So do I."

Kristen placed her hand in his. Warmth emanated from his body, and his hand curled around hers, shielding her from the cold air surrounding them. She stood up, still barefoot, and she stepped onto the wintry stone floor of the balcony, chilled from the bitter winter air. Loki drew her in and wrapped his long arms around Kristen's waist. She reached up and encircled his neck with her arms. He was extremely tall, she noted. Her eyes came up to his chest, which, instead of being plated with golden armor, was covered in a fitted green t-shirt. "I like your clothes. But I did like the metal and the leather, too." Kristen murmured as Loki's warmth surrounded her like a blanket.

They began swaying to unheard music. Through the deep pulse of the bass downstairs, they could feel their own beat and their own melody. It was like nothing existed but them. The cold was drowned out, and the sounds were nearly imperceptible. The yells and cries of students blurred into silence, as they danced to their own heartbeats.

"You look absolutely stunning." Loki's voice was just above a whisper, and Kristen could feel the rise and fall of his chest with every breath he took. Wisps of her hair floated in the light wind. The frosty ground that had chilled her feet was now forgotten, as they wandered farther and farther from reality.

Kristen looked up into Loki's eyes. "I really hope you're not insane." She laughed delicately, and the sound got lost in the air.

"Why do you believe that I'm insane?" Loki looked at her quizzically.

"All that stuff about Asgard... it was just so beautiful." She shifted closer to him. "But it belongs in books and fairytales."

Loki smiled. "You must start believing in the impossible, Ms. Faye." Though his words only spoke so much, his eyes were conveying hidden messages and meanings. Kristen had given up her previous endeavor to avoid his eyes, and now, she was having a very hard time looking away.

Kristen bit her lip and, breaking the almost magnetic pull in Loki's beautiful eyes, she lowered her head, obviously in thought. This was the most breathtaking night she had had in a very long time. She wanted to remain wrapped in Loki's arms until the earth stopped spinning and the sun stopped shining. But the things he claimed to be true, and the things he said existed were all just impossible to comprehend. Kristen had taken a class in Norse mythology last year, and if she chose to believe it for even just a moment, she was dancing with the god of mischief himself. That thought was definitely not as comforting as the position she was in right now. Though her mind was refusing to lower its walls and stayed alert, something inside of her was telling her to trust Loki. She sensed nothing wicked or mischievous about him, and she was completely at ease around him. "Is it true? Are you actually a god?"

"Yes, I am."

The certainty in his voice was unquestionable, but still Kristen's mind rejected even the remotest possibility of truth. _Kristen, please, let's be rational about this. We all know that mythology is mythology. Fake, stories, fables, fiction; whatever word you want to use for it. And when some guy comes up to you and tells you he's a god, you're definitely not supposed to trust him._

"Kristen." Loki's voice was warm and soft like velvet. "I am not lying to you. I truly am a god." A touch of desperation crept into his voice.

"It's just really hard to believe something like that. Magic and gods are things we categorize as fiction."

"How can you deny what you see with your own two eyes?" Golden light began to stream from Loki's body, shimmering like gossamer curtains. The gold metal returned to his chest, and a green cape emerged and hung across his shoulders. Horns made of what looked like pure gold were connected to a helm that covered his jet black hair.

Kristen was at a loss for words. After the strange hallucination she had experienced the last time she was with Loki, she really couldn't handle more of the improbable. She shook her head.

"Are you still going to contradict the truth after everything I have showed you?" Loki still held Kristen close, as though he were afraid that if he let go of her, she would disappear forever.

"So what if I believed you were a god? What are you doing here?" Kristen whispered the question.

"I don't think the reason I came here is very important anymore. What is important is the reason I'm staying." Loki's eyes searched hers as he paused. "Earlier today, an old friend told me that I had fallen for a mortal, and I told her that was impossible. But after seeing her tonight, I told myself the same thing I just told you."

"You must start believing the impossible." Kristen's voice was carried on the air around them, until it faded to a whisper.

There was a yell from downstairs, and Kristen jumped. The sound pierced through the bubble they had surrounded themselves in. Kristen's mind reeled. She could feel her defenses weakening, and even her mind's refusal was starting to crumble. Confusion crashed into her like waves. Emotions began battling for control within her, and she knew there was only so much she could handle.

She tried to keep the drama in her life to a minimum, and the most eventful time of her week was when she went to her karate class. Occasionally, when Evelyn got a new date, there would be some chaos, mostly involving buckets of ice cream, but her life wasn't like a movie. Kristen could still feel Loki's warm, protective arms around her, and she was pretty certain that she could get lost in his aura once more, but her mind was telling her not to.

"Kristen?" Evelyn's voice came from inside the room. "Kristen, you in here?"

A thousand thoughts ran through Kristen's brain. Should she answer Evelyn and leave Loki? Or should she stay as quiet as possible and spend the night in Loki's arms, where she thought she could stay forever? As the glass door to the balcony slid open, and Evelyn's black and gold clad form came into view, a gust of wind lifted Kristen's hair from her shoulders. She looked up to where Loki's glowing eyes had been moments before, but now there was just the night sky, dusted with stars. The tingling traces of his touch was still lingering on her skin, but the cold was starting to seep to her bones. It was as if he had never been here at all. Like it was just part of her imagination.

"What are you doing out here?" Evelyn rubbed her bare arms and shivered. "It's freezing."

"I guess I was just distracted." Kristen said.


End file.
